Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-05-31
SAN FERNANDO.
Services mt that Town and the
pays observance.

At San Fernando Memorial Day was
appropriately observed by procession
which was of considerable length and
reflected credit on those in charge. 1t
was composed of the Ancient Order of
United Workmen and Others, who
marched to the Methodist church where
the exercises were presided over by
Senator Charles Maclay. The prayer
was delivered by Rev. Mr.. Moran, who
was followed by Mr.. III. z. Osborne,
of the Evening Eapress of this city, who
| spoke as follows:
Mr.. President Ladies, and Gentlemen: :
OF all the sentiments that sway the
human mind, love of the country, or
patriostism, is at once one OF the most
ennobling and one of the most useful to
mankind. The motive of the greatest
of human achievements and the aspira.
tion of large majority of the greatest
men and women in history, has been
patriotism. Under its influence the in
terests of the individual are subordi-
mated to the interests of the State, and
in times of emergency the natural atfec.
tians, family ties and even life itself are
freely sacrificed at its demands. The
strength and greatness OF country de.
pends more upon the patriotic, unselfish
devotion of its citizens than upon its
stores of wealth or the numbers of its
people. Ancient Rome became the
mistress of the world and the arbiter of
the dsstinies of mankind as a republic,
when its citizens in fact participated in
its government, and when their proud
est boast was the patriotic declaration:
81 am Roman citizen!" Its decay CON-
menced when its material wealth fairly
embraced the riches of the world, and
the population of its territory was near
ly as great as that of modern Europe.
Great wealth and consequent luxury and
self-indulgence had deadened all patri-
otic fervor in the individual citizen, and
for hundreds of years the great nation
drifted under the control of successive
Caesars, whose power was purchased OF
and sustained by rough but powerful
soldiery, until they severally met death
by assassination at the hands of rivals,
by suicide, or by over-indulgence in their
own appetites and passions. Patriotism
had died out, and the greatest nation of
ancient times fell an easy prey to the
barbarians that pressed it from every
side.
The inculcation of a patriotic senti'
ment among the people, and especially
in the hearts OF your youth, love OF
country, respect for its institutions, and
veneration for its heroes and statesmen,
. | se hr 20
| guards of o nation. Iadeed, in oul
country, where in times of peace our
army is but the merest skeleton, in
tended to be but a bare outline upon
which to build in time of war, oul
strength and safety is absolutely in the
springs of patriotic devotion in the
hearts of our people, which may be
drawn upon as upon mighty reservoir
in the hour of national trouble. Enjoy.
ing year after year the gracious bless
ings of peace, and absorbed in the pleas.
ant pursuits of agriculture, commerce
and manufactures, with only dim ira.
/. dition of war in the minds of the
younger generation, we are prone to
{ forget that the blessings we enjoy were
. purchased sometime, somewhere, by
the life-blood and sacrifices of those
who have preceded us. 1t is well, there
fore, that certain days are set aside to
consider these matters, and to revive
memories of the circumstances which
led to their designation. In nothing
was Thomas Jefferson more wise
or statesmanlike than in the ad.
vocacy of the anniversary of the
signing OF the Declaration Of In.
dependence as a national holiday. The
Fourth of July has done more to pre-
serve knowledge of the importance OF
that act and proper national feeling in
the minds of the young than all the his.
tories that have ever been written.
Equally was it an act of wisdom upon
the part of Congress to designate the
30th of May for the more solemn and
impressive duty of reviving the memory
of those who had died in the service of
their country, or subsequent to such
honorable service, by religious rites. by
! appropriate exercises and addresses, and
by the decoration of the graves of those
fallen heroes with flowers. 1t is beau.
tiful custom, and long may it be OBJ
served. 1t brings back to the mind
rscolections of the most important and
thrilling epoch in American history.
Who that was living in 1861 does not
recall the patriotic excitement and en-
thusiasm that ran through the land
upon the receipt of the nows of the firing
on Fort Sumpter in April of that year.
Before the vision of such there passes in
majestic order grand and terrible pan.
Drama of war, with alternative victory
and defeat to the National arms, ter
minating at the end of four years in
final triumph, national union re.
stored, and tie liberation of four mil
lions of slaves. He sees at its com.
moncement the wave of indignant
fervor that swept over the North upon
the firing of the first hostile gun, accom-.
panied by vast public gatherings, i'm.
passioned oratory, calls to arms, the
rattling of the drum and the shrill fife
OF the recruiting officer, the young men
organizing into military companies and
drilling in the streets of every city,
town and hamlet in the land. He sees
the youth of his acquaintance, ignorant
OF what was before them, but with
stout hearts, ready for whatever might
come, clad in the national uniform,
proud of their martial appearance. He
sees the company formed in his own
village on the day when it marches to
the larger town to join the regiment on
lis way to the South. There is great
gathering of people-relatives neigh.
eors and friends OF the departing sol
diers. There is sumptuous repast and
much merriment, and finally the last
good-byes are said. Sons bid farewell
to mothers, husbands to wives, fathers
to children, and youthful soldiers to
sweethearts. The order to "Fall in" is
given; the soldiers fall in line, the starry
nag given by the ladies of the village at
their head; and they march away to the
music of the drum and fife. The COL
umn soon passes away over the nearest
hill and out of sight, many of those
who compose ii never to return. The
regiments leave the large cities amid
the wild plaudits of the thousands who
crowd the streets to witness their de-